Mental Health Disorders
6 Credits (ECTS)
Mental Health Disorders*
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Module Description
This module is going to focus on the most generally encountered mental health disorders including main nursing care needed to care for patients with mental disorders.
This module focuses on the Maltese legislations related to the sector.
To ensure that the first level nurse is equipped with the knowledge, skills and competences necessary to practice as a competent and professional nurse in a Mental Health Care setting, the candidate nurse is required to do clinical Work Placement in this setting.
Entry Requirements
Candidates who apply for this course must be:
- Be second level nurses in possession of a minimum Level 4 Certificate in Nursing (or comparable as per MQRIC).
OR
- Possess a qualification at MQF Level 4 (one ‘A’ Level or equivalent preferably in science) or if ‘A’ level is not in science subject then a a pass in Biology, Chemistry or Physics at MQF Level 3 (‘O’ Level or equivalent) is required.
Preference will be given to prospective applicants who have a minimum of 1-year work experience in healthcare sector.
Target Audience
- 2nd level nurses who hold an MQF Level 4 certificate in Nursing.
- Candidates who are employed within the healthcare sector and possess an MQF Level 4 Diploma qualification (or equivalent) in healthcare/health science or other relevant and related sectors, examples include but are not limited to: Carers, Medical Assistants, Home Health Aides, Orderlies, Administrators, etc.
- Candidates seeking a career in the Health Care sector.
- This Level 5 Diploma provides an opportunity to candidates to progress in their studies and create a study route for further studies in Higher and Further Education while broadening the spectrum of advancement in own career path.
Career Paths
- The second level nurses in possession of a minimum Level 4 Certificate in Nursing (or comparable as per MQRIC) who successfully complete up to a minimum of the Level 5 Diploma in Health Sciences at 60 ECTS together with a Work Placement of 480 hours carried out at health settings are eligible to apply for first level nurses.
- The main objective of Level 5 Diploma in Health Sciences at 60 ECTS together with a Work Placement of 480 hours carried out at health settings is to convert second level nurses to first level nurses.
How you’ll be assessed
The course comprises:
- Evening classes for part-time courses.
- Classes held throughout the day for full-time courses.
- Guided learning, presentations, comprising synchronous online discussions, tutorials and/or videos.
- Self-study hours comprising research, reading and assignment work.
Assessment
Assessment is carried out via mandatory components:
- Modular Assessment
- Summative Assessment
- Work Placement Clinical Practices
The programme includes different forms of assessment which allow for and promote students’ critical engagement. The formative and summative assessment tasks may include an in-class assignment and/or a home-based written assignment using diverse assessment tools which may take the form of online and in-class discussions, examinations, case studies, reports, proposals, essays, and presentations, etc., as applicable to the diverse modules
Module Intake Dates
March/ April 2025
Learning Outcomes
Competences:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
- Identify most common mental health disorders and their treatment;
- Develop a systematic research-based approach towards a better understanding of patients with mental health problems.
- Explore strategies which enhance therapeutic relationship with patients and their families
- Evaluate ways in handling difficult situations in mental health settings
- Review a minimum of one model which facilitates work collaboration with members of other disciples to promote mental health.
Knowledge:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have been exposed to the following indicative content:
- Affective, Schizophrenic, Anxiety and Personality disorders, their treatment and nursing care;
- Cognitive impairment and Psychiatry of old age;
- Learning disabilities, Epilepsy and the concept of normalisation;
- Risk management and skills for a psychiatric emergency
- Safety measures in a mental health setting
- Key components and characteristics in enhancing therapeutic relationships
- Principles of clinical practices in a Mental Health Care setting
- Basic knowledge of legal and ethical considerations and practices in mental health care; Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct for Nurses and Midwives, Council for Nurses and Midwives, Malta, January 2020
- Beliefs and Cultural Practices in mental health care
- Introducing an integrated holistic approach to patient/client care in mental care: physical, psychosocial and spiritual
- Understand basic communication styles, skills and techniques when working with a health team towards a common goal in mental health care
- Identify the different roles and responsibilities of team members.
- Understand the interdependency of team members in their individual roles in a mental health care context.
- Multidisciplinary teams and collaboration to promote mental health
- Key components and characteristics of differences and similarities of team work, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary
Skills:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the following skills:
- Develop a positive rehabilitative attitude thus facilitating re-integration into the community of the people with mental health according to the ethical and legal framework of the Maltese Professional Code of Conduct
- Examine the key components and characteristics in enhancing examples of therapeutic relationships
- Be able to have an understanding of the importance of having the appropriate management skills in risk and/or a psychiaric emergency.
- Be able to have an understanding of the importance of having the appropriate skills to apply safety procedures in a mental health setting
- Be able to have an understanding of the importance of having the appropriate psychiatric nursing skills
Judgment Skills and Critical Abilities:
- Analyse the benefits and implications of therapeutic practices in mental health care
- Compare a minimum of 2 models: benefits and implications of the patient, the health professionals and the family
- Recognise the differences in beliefs and cultural practices in mental health care practices.
- Evaluate best practices in nursing care in a mental health care context.
Module-Specific Communication Skills:
The learner will be able to:
- Understand the importance of having different and appropriate communication skills to communicate with specialists and non-specialists.
Module-Specific Learner Skills
- Present own discussion and developments in a logical and organised manner through approaches of critical feedback and self-reflection.
- Engage with peers and/or team members to share and reflect on own development.
Module-Specific Digital Skills and Competences
- Navigate through the online learning platform to find assignments, discussion boards, literature, tutorials etc.